Best All-Around Chicken Breed?

[PioneerChicks]

I had New Hampshires at one point and I wasn't impressed with their personality. Maybe it was just the ones that I got!

I had a new Hampshire red last year, she seemed to be about the average chicken.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How does the Minorca do in the cold?

They did fine here summer and winter.
Are you asking for someone in another location or are you moving north? I was just curious because I can't imagine any concern about cold hardiness anywhere in Texas.
I've had around 30 breeds of chickens. It usually gets well below zero F. every year and since I've been keeping chickens it hit -19F at my house. It also gets over 110F. I have lost birds to heat but never to cold.

 

[Trevorusn]

Third, sex-links. Great layers, but I don't know about meat or broodiness.

Aside from being broody, my favorite is Golden Buff (also known as cinnamon queens, Isa Brown etc) They do not, unfortunately, tend to go broody, but they are otherwise an overall amazing breed otherwise.

Hybrids were excluded due to not being able to breed true.

 

[Trevorusn]

I was think about getting some Jersey Giants. How do you feel about them?

Jerseys are awesome birds. All mine are under a year old and already have good size to them. They indeed are mostly mellow and calm, but my 7 month cockerel already shows awesome roo traits, very alert and protective. The ladies lay light brown eggs and do well in heat or cold. Only temp issue so far is a touch of frostbite on my boy's comb due to its massive size, but Vaseline seems to have taken care of it. Beautiful breed.

 

[Avian Allie]

Polish would be my vote. They are cold and heat hardy. They tend to be rugged, especially against upper respiratory illness. They grow and lay quickly, broody but not too often. Usually great moms, and an all around gentle chicken. Even with the extreme head fluff they are great hunters. Dang, now I want to go find some more.

 

[Frog Bog]

The New Hampshire was bred from the Rhode Island Red. It seems the Rhode Island Red is bred more for eggs and the New Hampshire was bred a little more for meat. I think either of these breeds could be very good all-around chicken breeds.

That would be interesting -- Leghorns bred larger and with some broodiness. I am sure some egg-laying ability would be sacrificed in the process.

It is always a balance with eggs, meat, and broodiness. If you have a breed of chickens that lays an average of 250 eggs in their first year, has hens that weigh at least 6 pounds and roosters that weigh at least 8 pounds, and some of the hens go broody after a year old, you would be well on your way to having the best all-around chicken breed.

It's been a few years since I saw those New Hamps. IIRC he was getting 3-4 eggs per week from the pullets/hens. which isn't too bad imo. Seems it would be a good dual purpose. The ones I've had over the years in the personal egg flock have not been aggressive at all. Just a normal chicken. Competitive maybe, but not aggressive.

RIR would be fine to I'm sure. Slower growing and more feed to get them there.

A larger Leghorn that goes broody won't have the egg numbers of the production leghorns, but still impressive. They will also require more feed. At that point you might as well look at American Dominiques. Their size is between leghorns and most american dual purpose breeds.

 

[Bullitt]

They did fine here summer and winter.
Are you asking for someone in another location or are you moving north? I was just curious because I can't imagine any concern about cold hardiness anywhere in Texas.
I've had around 30 breeds of chickens. It usually gets well below zero F. every year and since I've been keeping chickens it hit -19F at my house. It also gets over 110F. I have lost birds to heat but never to cold.

As stated in the original post, I am asking to determine the best all-around chicken breed.

Tell us about the Minorca. How much do they weigh? How many eggs do they lay? Do they go broody sometimes? Why do you think the Minorca could be the best all-around chicken breed?

 

[Bullitt]

Jerseys are awesome birds. All mine are under a year old and already have good size to them. They indeed are mostly mellow and calm, but my 7 month cockerel already shows awesome roo traits, very alert and protective. The ladies lay light brown eggs and do well in heat or cold. Only temp issue so far is a touch of frostbite on my boy's comb due to its massive size, but Vaseline seems to have taken care of it. Beautiful breed.

You bring up a good point. Chicken breeds with a single comb sometimes get frostbite on the comb. This might give an edge to best all-around chicken breed to a breed with a pea comb or rose comb.

There are varieties like the rose comb Rhode Island Red, however.

 

[Bullitt]

Polish would be my vote. They are cold and heat hardy. They tend to be rugged, especially against upper respiratory illness. They grow and lay quickly, broody but not too often. Usually great moms, and an all around gentle chicken. Even with the extreme head fluff they are great hunters. Dang, now I want to go find some more.

The Polish with its head feathers cannot see well and is easily killed by predators. They also generally lay about 150 eggs a year. They are also on the small side, so they would not be good for meat. The Polish chicken is not practical and is not the best all-around chicken breed.

Many people like them for their colorful feathers. That is fine.

 

[Amer]

Buckeyes! A great dual purpose breed with meat capabilities, egg laying abilities, occasional broodiness, does well in all climates, and is great at free-ranging. A plus is their great temperament.
I’m a little biased of course, but I think they’re the perfect bird for your situation.